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Lot essay

Clarkson Stanfield made regular trips to Italy throughout his lifetime and it was in December 1938 that he visited Ischia from Naples, making numerous sketches of the Island. There are several depictions of the Castle of Ischia from similar viewpoints, in particular an oil version that was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1841, painted after Stanfield had witnessed a violent storm on the Island. Another watercolour depiction of the castle was offered in these Rooms 23 July 1974.

The present watercolour shows none of the forboding waters of the Royal Academy version and is in fact taken from a point slightly to the right of that shown in the oil. The causeway, against which the waves crashed during the violent storm, can be seen on the far left of our watercolour.

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